


His Lighthouse

by Pokeluv101



Category: Servamp (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, F/M, Fem Mahiru, Historical Romance, Lighthouses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:15:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26841271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pokeluv101/pseuds/Pokeluv101
Summary: After Mahiru’s uncle goes missing, she searches London for him. She meets Kuro and she asks him to help her investigate the disappearance. (KuroMahi, Fem Mahiru)
Relationships: Kuro | Sleepy Ash/Shirota Mahiru
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

“Something’s wrong, Licht. My uncle has been away from home before but it was never this long. I’m starting to get worried.” Mahiru told her friend and wrung her fingers together. She was certain that the rug would become worn due to her pacing in front of the window. Her uncle had adopted her after her mother died and raised her like a father. She didn’t know what to do if something had happened to him.

“Did your uncle leave a way to contact him?” Licht asked. She was surprised that she was the calm one but that only showed how concerned Mahiru was. They were close friends so she knew how important family was to her. She stood and gently urged Mahiru to sit down. “Maybe you should stay at my house until your uncle returns. Being alone in this lighthouse is dangerous for a single woman.”

“This is my home.” Mahiru tilted her head back and stared up at the tall ceiling. The lighthouse was built on a cliff next to the port city and most would think that it was isolating. She had a lot of memories of her mother in the building so she never felt alone. Unconsciously, she touched the necklace her mother had given her. “Thank you for the offer, Licht, but I want to be here in case my uncle does return.”

“I’m still worried about you being alone here.” She doubted she could convince her friend to leave her home. Mahiru’s kindness was only matched by her stubbornness. “If you’re not willing to leave, I’ll stay with you here until your uncle returns. I only need to pack my clothes and toiletries tomorrow. Hopefully, I can find a way to drag my piano up here as well.”

“An angel will always find a way.” Mahiru said with a light giggle.

They spoke for a few hours until Licht had to return home. Mahiru stood in the doorway and watched her friend walk down the hill. She hoped she would be able to return to her house before it became dark. She was a strong and independent woman but the city was dangerous. The society they lived in was far from generous to women.

Once her friend was out of sight, Mahiru walked back into her home. She closed the door and shoved the heavy lock into place. The lighthouse was quiet but she had become accustomed to the silence as a child. She searched for something to occupy herself and climbed the stairs. Mahiru intended to go to the lantern room and tend to the light.

She entered the floor that her uncle used as an office and her eyes fell onto his desk. A memory from her childhood returned to her and she walked into his office. Mahiru sat in the chair and ran her hand over the oak desk. Uncle Toru told her very little about his work and he was always careful to keep her safe by keeping it secret. Yet, she knew he wasn’t a simple merchant like he told her.

She opened the drawer and there were only writing supplies inside. She pushed aside the quills and then lifted the false floor to find a folder hidden beneath. Her uncle was an investigator with C3 and he had captured many criminals. His job was dangerous and he didn’t want her to be worried whenever he left for an investigation. She had discovered the truth years ago when she went into his office for paper and stumbled upon the hidden drawer.

She placed the stack of paper onto the desk and began to read through the report. Her uncle hadn’t returned in weeks and his disappearance was likely connected to an investigation. Mahiru hoped she could find a hint of where he was within the report. A part of her knew that there was little she could do even if she discovered where he was. She couldn’t save him alone and she doubted the police would take her concern seriously. Most would brush her worry by calling her an emotional woman.

She sighed softly but then it turned into a sharp gasp. Mahiru was shocked to find a letter addressed to her within the pages of the report. The letter had her uncle’s handwriting as well.

_Dear Mahiru, if one of my colleagues has given this to you, it means that I cannot return home. You must have a lot of questions and I’m sorry that I had to keep my job a secret from you. I work for C3. I consider you to be my daughter and I wanted to keep you away from danger so I didn’t tell you. After your mother died, I did my best to raise you but I wasn’t home as much as I should’ve been. I’m sorry._

_You have grown into a strong woman like your mother. I have hidden something for you in the lighthouse and you’re the only one who can find it. I hope it will keep you safe after I’m gone. Keep it close and know that your mother and I are watching over you. My friend, Touma Taishi, lives in the city and he had agreed to take you in if anything happens to me. Please bring this note to him._

Fear turned her stomach into knots and she bit her lower lip. Her uncle would only write the letter if he thought he wouldn’t return from his investigation. She didn’t want to accept that her uncle could possibly be gone and she lost the last family she had. Mahiru’s hands started to tremble slightly and she clenched them into fists to stop them. The paper crippled in her grip.

_If one of my colleagues has given this to you…_ She read the sentence again and she clutched onto the hope that it gave her. Since C3 hadn’t come to take his report yet, they must believe that he was still alive and investigating the crime. There was a chance that he was in danger though. She turned back to the report her uncle had written on his latest investigation.

With so many questions and worries, she couldn’t simply and wait for her uncle to return. Mahiru decided that she would find her uncle and save him. A name in the report stood out to her: Frankenstein Noberu. She recognized the name since he was a prominent scientist in the city. If she looked into the person, they might lead her to Uncle Toru.

The investigation could be dangerous and she needed something to defend herself. Mahiru rummaged through the desk for a weapon she could take with her. Her uncle’s letter had mentioned that he left something for her and hid it. She wished that he had been more specific. She searched every corner of the room but found nothing.

Mahiru collapsed onto the chair and stared at the letter on her lap. She thought of the places her uncle would hide a gift within the tall lighthouse. She touched her mother’s necklace and the golden bell jingled lightly. Staring at the ceiling above her, she thought of her mother watching over her. If only she could tell her where her uncle had hidden the gift.

Suddenly, Mahiru jumped to her feet and she left the office. She raced up the stairs, jumping two steps at a time, until she reached the top. Her family had maintained the lighthouse for years and she spent her childhood playing in the lantern room. She stood in front of the large lamp surrounded by lenses. She repeated the words her mother had told her. “This light will watch over you when I cannot.”

She examined the lamp and found a wooden box tucked beneath the machinery. Most wouldn’t see the box unless they were looking for it. Mahiru took out the box and lifted the lip. Tucked inside was a beautifully crafted dagger with a cat engraved onto the hilt. She tied the dagger’s sheath onto her apron and vowed. “I’ll find my uncle and save him.”

* * *

“People should know to be more discreet when they’re investigating a powerful family. Asking too many questions can get a person killed.” Hyde said to his brother, Kuro. They were crouched on a rooftop, watching a woman speaking with a merchant. “Why do you think the Noberu hired us to kill her? Maybe she’s a bastard child. Her clothes are simple so I doubt she’s wealthy.”

“It’s better not to ask too many questions, Greed.” Kuro whispered. His family were criminals for hire and many nobles would pay them to steal information or target their enemies. As much as he hated killing, his family was poor and they needed the money to survive. “I should be able to handle this mission on my own. You can head home early.”

He didn’t wait for his brother’s response before he walked away. He pulled his black hood over his head and disappeared into the shadows. Kuro didn’t make a sound as he scaled down the building and landed in a dark alley. He glanced around the corner and saw the woman end her conversation with the merchant. Once she had turned away, he slipped out of the alley and started to follow her. She glanced over her shoulder but he easily disappeared from her view.

Mahiru was certain that someone was following her yet she didn’t see anyone when she turned around. For the past few nights, she went into the city to gather information about the Noberu family. She knew it was dangerous for women to walk alone at night and her heart started to race. She gripped the dagger hidden in the folds of her skirt and quickened her steps.

Every few steps, she would look over her shoulder to see if someone was following her. She could only guess the reason for why the person was following her and she bit her lip. Mahiru decided that she should rent a night at an inn since it wasn’t safe to return home. Between searching for an inn and glancing behind her, she didn’t notice someone walk in front of her. She bumped into a man with red hair and she apologized. “I’m sorry, Sir.”

“It’s okay. I was hoping to speak with you about the Noberu family. It’s rude to pry into people’s lives. They asked me to tell you to stop.” He said and he pulled out a gun from his coat. A chill ran up her back at the sight and she instinctively turned around to run.

As she dashed down the street, she searched for someone she could call to for help. The sound of a gunshot exploded behind her and the bullet struck a tree beside her. Chips of wood struck her cheek but her adrenaline dulled the pain. She didn’t know if her heart or mind was racing more. Fear almost paralyzed her legs but she forced herself to move forward.

She ran into an alley to hide from the gunman. Mahiru gasped when she saw that there was another man in the alley. She didn’t know if he was working with the gunman but she instinctively raised her dagger to defend herself. He grabbed her waist and pushed her against the wall. She looked into his red eyes but he was staring at her dagger. The cat engraved in the hilt reflected the moonlight.

“… Toru Shirota?” The man’s voice held a mixture of shock and confusion.

“You know my uncle?” She asked and his grip loosened.

Neither of them could answer the other’s question before they heard the gun approaching the alley. Kuro cursed slightly and looked down at Mahiru. He had seen the man shoot at her so the man was likely another person the Noberu hired. For the family to pay several people to kill her, the situation was much more complicated than he first thought.

“Will you trust me?” He took off his cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. He pulled the hood over her hair to disguise her from the gunman. Then, Kuro took her hand and led her out of the alley. She followed him but he could tell that she felt a little hesitant from how her hand shook in his. He couldn’t blame her for being wary of a stranger. Kuro whispered, “I gave your uncle that cat dagger.”

Mahiru didn’t know how much she could trust the man but he knew her uncle. He subtly pointed to an inn a block away from them and she nodded in understanding. She hoped they would be able to speak once they were safe in the inn. She wanted to know his connection to her uncle and if he would be able to help him search for him.

Mahiru couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder to see if the gunman was still following them. She gripped Kuro’s arm when she saw him point the gun at them. Before she could warn him, Kuro pulled her out of the bullet’s path and into the safety of his arms. He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her into the weaving streets of London where the gunman couldn’t aim at them easily.

Kuro thought of the places they could hide and they reached a bridge. His family’s hideout was nearby but he couldn’t take her there. A burning pain entered his shoulder and he bit his tongue against screaming. He recognized the pain of the bullet and he clutched his shoulder. He looked back to the gunman and stepped in front of Mahiru to protect her. There wasn’t much he could do to defend against a gun with the distance between them.

“Kuro, will you trust me?” Mahiru repeated the question he gave her earlier. He looked down at her as she hugged his arm. He didn’t know what she intended to do until she pulled him over the side of the bridge. They both fell into the river below.

* * *

Kuro groaned in pain as he woke up and he touched his sore shoulder. He felt bandages wrapped around his wound so he knew that someone had tended to it. He recalled being shot and then falling into the river. The wound and the impact of the water caused him to lose consciousness so he wondered what happened afterwards. He was laying on a couch and he didn’t recognize the room he was in.

“You shouldn’t move.” Mahiru’s voice drew his attention. She walked down the stairway with a tray of food. She set the tray on the table and sat on the edge of the couch to examine the bandages around his shoulder. “We are in the lighthouse— my home. The river beneath the bridge leads to the valley near the base of the cliff. I let the river carry us here. It was harder to drag you up the hill.”

“You’re stronger than you look.” He sat up despite her protests. Kuro’s eyes fell onto the dagger tied to her waist and asked, “Is Toru here?”

“I don’t know where my uncle is.” Since Kuro asked for his location, he didn’t know where he was like she was hoping. Disappointment squeezed her heart and she fell silent. She had an expressive face and her pain was clear to Kuro. He didn’t know what to say to her since they were still strangers. Her next words were spoken so softly he almost didn’t hear her. “I’ve been searching for him.”

She had been investigating the Noberu family so his disappearance was likely connected to them. They had hired his siblings to kill her and he suddenly felt conflicted. He owed Toru his life but his siblings needed the money.

Mahiru poured a cup of tea for each of them and then handed one to Kuro. “We haven’t had the opportunity to introduce ourselves properly. My name is Mahiru Shirota. How do you know my uncle?”

“Most people call me Kuro.” He doubted he could tell her that Toru had arrested him but then let him go free after learning about his situation. She stared up at him with her brown eyes and they compelled him to answer. “It’s complicated. I would’ve died if he didn’t stand up for me. I gave him my father’s dagger and said I would repay him for his kindness.”

“Toru said that this dagger will protect me.” Mahiru held the sheath close to her chest. She wondered if her uncle gave her the dagger because there was a chance it would lead her to Kuro. “I know it’s a lot to ask but will you help me find my uncle? My mother was the Duchess of Himawari and she left me a significant inheritance. I will pay you as much money as you want for your help. I just want my uncle back.”

“The Noberu family is dangerous. I overheard the gunman mention them when he targeted. Maybe it’s better if you stop investigating.” He suggested but she shook her head.

“I will continue to search for my uncle— even if it’s without your help.” She told him with determination in her brown eyes. Mahiru took off her necklace and slipped it over his head. He touched the gold bell and looked at her in confusion. “This bell will be my initial payment for your help. I will give you ten thousand pounds after he comes home safely. Please, help me!”

His family would no longer have to resort to crime with the money she offered. He also felt sympathy for Mahiru since it was obvious that she was worried for her uncle. He could only imagine how he would feel if one of his siblings went missing. “You treated my wounds and I owe him my life. I will help you.”

“Thank you, Kuro!” She smiled brightly and he was certain it was brighter than the lighthouse. Mahiru felt hopeful to find her uncle again. She touched the bandages on his shoulder and said, “You should rest and heal. We’ll discuss everything I have found about the Noberu family tomorrow morning. Is there anything you want for breakfast? I’m a good cook.”

“You’re already paying me a lot of money so you don’t need to feed me as well.” He said and laid back on the couch. Mahiru leaned over him and draped a blanket over him.

“I’ll make pancakes then.”


	2. Chapter 2

“This is everything I’ve found in my uncle’s office. He has been recording the suspicious movements of the Noberu family. The last date of his report is the same night he went missing.” Mahiru told Kuro. After they finished eating breakfast, she took him to her uncle’s office. She had decided to trust him and asked him to help find her uncle. “If we follow this pattern, he likely disappeared while investigating this family! They must be connected. I’ve tried to continue his work but no one will speak with me.”

“The Noberu are a powerful family. Even if someone knew about their crimes, they wouldn’t want to speak out against them. It’s best to be cautious when inquiring about the family. Between their wealth and status, they’re dangerous.” Kuro’s words made her think of the man who chased them the previous night. She was certain that she would’ve been killed if Kuro hadn’t rescued her.

She had decided to search for her uncle alone because she didn’t want to endanger her friends. Mahiru glanced towards the photo of her mother and uncle. “My mother was a duchess but I know very little about high society. They seem like a complicated bunch with their fake smiles and secrets. It was naïve of me to investigate the family so openly, wasn’t it?”

“I only met you yesterday but you seem like the straightforward type.” Kuro spoke his thoughts out loud and he noticed the small frown that appeared on Mahiru’s lips. He added, “I don’t think that’s a bad thing. For a while, I worked with your uncle and he had a similar approach to you. People are more willing to speak with him than us.”

“I never imagined they would brush me off the way they did. It made me realize how sheltered I’ve been in my little lighthouse. I mainly speak with my friends and relatives through letters.” Her mother and uncle had raised her in the lighthouse and it held a lot of precious memories for Mahiru. At times, she wished that the lighthouse was closer to the city so she could visit her friends more often. Mahiru had many chances to leave but she decided to stay each time.

She focused on the investigation again and said, “You said you worked with my uncle. Was it for investigations similar to the Noberu family?”

“Not in a formal way. He needed something taken care of and he paid me to look into it.” Kuro’s explanation was vague and she could hear that there was more he didn’t tell her. She reasoned that he had his own reason for why he wanted to keep his work a secret. Her uncle also hid his investigation from their family for the sake of their safety.

“I’m sorry if that was a weird question to ask a man I only met recently. I was hoping that you’ll have experience with investigation and you could tell me the best place to search for clues.” Mahiru said. “You don’t have to tell me about your past work with my uncle unless you’re comfortable.”

“My clients would have my head if I tell you such sensitive information.” Kuro didn’t know how she would react if he told her that he was an assassin. She could lose her trust in him if she learned that the Noberu family had hired him to silence her. He hated being an assassin but it allowed him to provide for his family. He had seven younger siblings and they lived in poverty.

When the Noberu first approached him with the request to target a brunette noblewoman, he had refused. Kuro thought it was wrong to kill someone who was innocent. Yet, it was difficult to refuse a request from a powerful family who would target his siblings in retaliation. If he helped Mahiru, she would pay him and he could keep his siblings safe from the Noberu.

“Your uncle has been gone for a month without contacting you. You said that he would send you a letter once a week while he’s on his past investigations. How can you be certain that he’s still alive?” Kuro sat in a chair across from her and studied her expression. “I don’t want to ask this to be cruel but we should be realistic about this. I’ll help you finish your uncle’s investigation but I can’t promise we’ll find him alive.”

“He’s alive!” She yelled and she stared into his eyes. Her brown eyes were steady and they reflected the determination she felt. “My uncle left me this note. It said his co-workers would come to collect his files if something happens to him. Until they come with the news, I believe he’ll return home. Something is stopping him and I’ll be the one to save him.”

“You know him better than me so I’ll trust your opinion.” He agreed quicker than she expected. Her friend, Licht, would often tell her that it was difficult for her to gain the respect of the men in her field. Kuro was different from the others and Mahiru became curious about what kind of life he had. “You’ve managed to collect a surprising amount of information on Frankenstein Noberu.”

“I went to the library to gather these documents. It’s not as much as I wanted.” Mahiru said nonchalantly. Yet, Kuro thought she was intelligent and studious from the progress she made on her own. “This is all the scientific discoveries that they’ve made in the past three generations. They have been given numerous grants but that money shouldn’t be able to cover the cost of research and development.”

“I’ve never went to school so you’ll have to explain the math to me.” Kuro told her. He broke his gaze with her because most would judge him for being uneducated. His family couldn’t afford to send him to school and he needed to work at an early age to feed his family.

“They must be getting money from somewhere else and embezzling the money from their grants. There’s a chance they’re using cheap materials in their research as well.” Mahiru told him without a hint of condensation in her voice. “My uncle has been tracking their movements but he can’t go inside the house to see the details of their experiments.”

“He has the graveyard circled in his map. If that’s a place he had seen them visit frequently, it’s possible that they’re grave robbing to fund their experiments.” He suggested and she nodded in agreement. “Unfortunately, it’ll be impossible to catch them in the act. I doubt they would commit the crime themselves though. They will hire thieves to do the work for them.”

“The Noberu own a large estate but my uncle went through each building to locate the one they would use for experiments.” Mahiru spread out the map between them and pointed to the notes her uncle made on each building. “This one has a basement and it’s far from the main gate. This is the best place to have a secret lab. We should break in to see if they have keepsakes they stole from the dead.”

“Did your uncle draw a map to a secret passage we could use to sneak inside? Otherwise, we’ll be caught easily and arrested. They’re a powerful family and they can bribe the judge to have us locked away.” Kuro pointed out. The sadness in her eyes answered him even before she shook her head. He took the map and folded it before he placed it in his pocket. “I’ll try to find a way inside.”

“Are you planning to investigate that house on your own? My uncle did that and they likely have him captured somewhere in that building.” She jumped to her feet to stop him from leaving. “Thinking simply, we need to work together to find a safe way inside. I already have a plan.”

Mahiru returned to the desk to take out an invitation from the drawer. “I was speaking with others to find a way to enter the Noberu’s manor. They’re holding a masquerade ball and we can use it to sneak in. I still have a few of my mother’s ballgowns that I can wear to disguise myself. You can accompany me as my guard.”

“You’ve thought this out.” Kuro took the invitation from her and studied the font. He wondered whether she would’ve gone to the ball by herself if they hadn’t met. Then again, he already knew that she was recklessly brave. She had pulled them into the river to escape the gun. “I’ll go with you but I’ll drag you out of that house the moment it becomes dangerous. Your uncle made me promise to protect you.”

“I doubted he expected the situation to be this dangerous when he asked that of you.” She recalled the events of the previous night and hugged herself. “That man with the gun would’ve killed me. Do you think there’s a chance that he could find us after we fell into the river? It has been a day and he hasn’t come for us yet. But…”

“Are you scared?” He asked. She didn’t answer him but he knew anyone would be afraid in her situation. Mahiru lived alone in the lighthouse as well. Kuro didn’t understand why he felt a little protective when he saw her loneliness. “Do you want me to stay here in case he comes? I can protect you.”

His offer surprised her but her face quickly softened. “Thank you, Kuro.”

* * *

The couch was comfortable and warm compared to the hay cots Kuro usually used yet he couldn’t sleep. With his past, he had trouble relaxing in an unfamiliar place. He turned on his side and stared at the door. Mahiru had insisted he sleep in her uncle’s room but he thought it was better to stay in the living room. He could hear an intruder enter the lighthouse if he slept on the couch.

Footsteps caught his attention and he instinctively gripped the knife hidden under his pillow. Kuro realized that the sound came from the stairs and he knew that it was likely Mahiru. The scent of roses filled the room and he relaxed slightly. He didn’t want her to lecture him about sleeping on the couch so he closed his eyes and feigned sleep.

Mahiru’s footsteps stopped next to him and he didn’t know what she intended to do. He felt something warm draped over him and he guessed that it was a blanket. Her hand brushed over his cheek and his heart quickened for a few beats. He knew that the light touch was unintentional so he had to question why it had an effect on him. She whispered under her breath: “If you’re going to sleep here, you should cover yourself properly. You’ll catch a cold at this rate.”

She leaned away from him and left the room. Kuro waited until he heard the creak of the steel staircase before he opened his eyes. Before she disappeared up the staircase, he caught a glimpse of her lonely expression. Kuro had never met a woman like Mahiru before. She was brave and genuinely cared for her family. He sat up and patted the warm blanket that she had put over him.

Her footsteps continued far past the living quarters of the lighthouse and he wondered if she intended to go through the files on the Noberu again. He decided to go help her and he rolled off the couch. “You lectured me about sleeping properly but you’re the one who’s staying up late with troublesome work.”

As he climbed the staircase, he glanced out the window to the cliffside next to the lighthouse. Between the bright light of the lighthouse and the waves crashing against the cliff, he didn’t know how someone was able to have a peaceful sleep. He reached the office and he was confused to find the room empty. Kuro didn’t know where else Mahiru would go inside the tall building.

Her sad frown appeared in his mind. There would be a lot on her mind after the stressful events of the past week. As strong as Mahiru was, she was a normal woman. He debated whether he should speak with her or if it would be better to leave her alone. Kuro didn’t know her well and he had never comforted someone outside of his family.

Before he decided what to do, he found himself climbing the stairs. Kuro reached the top of the lighthouse and pushed open the trap door. A warm breeze hit him as he stepped out onto the balcony connected to the lantern room. The heat was likely created by the large lamp spinning slowly. He scanned the balcony for Mahiru and he spotted her sitting on the roof of the little house.

“How did you get up there?” Kuro wondered aloud and his voice drew Mahiru’s attention. She thought that he was sleeping on the couch. She carefully moved to the edge of the roof and looked down at him. The glow of the lamp illuminated his face and highlighted his strong features.

“The light will burn your eyes and turn you blind if you continue to stand there.” Mahiru warned and gave him a reassuring smile. She was bathed in both the light of the moon and the lighthouse and he thought she was surrounded by liquid fire for a moment. She didn’t seem to notice him staring because she casually pointed to a ladder. “You don’t have to worry about me falling and hurting myself. There’s a ladder on the south side of the lantern room.”

“Do you want to be alone?” He whispered the question but it tugged on Mahiru’s heart. Silently, she shook her head. Kuro had called her strong and she was worried that he would change his opinion if he learned that she was scared. He climbed the ladder she pointed to and walked across the flat roof to sit beside her.

He didn’t want to pressure her if she felt uncomfortable speaking with him so he stayed silent. Among the quiet, his beating heart sounded like thunder. They stared at the stars above them and he listened to her soft breathing. While they sat far above the world, the vast sky made him feel small. The view in front of them was stunning but his focus was on Mahiru.

She slowly moved to hug her legs against her chest and curl into a ball. He hadn’t realized how small she was until that moment. Mahiru turned away from the stars to face Kuro. “The previous lightkeepers installed the ladder to remove bird nests from the roof but I like to sit up here to watch the stars. My uncle would teach me about the different constellations. You might call me a silly girl but I also thought he was a superhero for knowing so much.”

“I used to read books to my siblings.” He said and she tilted her head slightly at his words. Kuro could feel her brown eyes on him. “In those stories, the heroes will always come home to their family. Heroes have a troublesome habit of waiting until the last moment to save the day in a big reveal. It makes for an interesting story but their family is left behind to worry. You should lecture your uncle about that when he comes back.”

“I will.” Mahiru nodded with a warm laugh. Her heart felt lighter after he spoke with her and she was glad that he offered to stay with her. She knew he only wanted to protect her but he had done so much more for her. “Will your siblings mind that I’m taking so much of your time?”

“They’re already grown with their own lives. Also, my work often keeps me away from home for long periods of time and they’re used to it. They trust me to return home.” Kuro took off his jacket and placed it around Mahiru’s shoulders. She wasn’t cold but she held the jacket around her. “I’ve stared at the stars all my life but I don’t know much about them. Can you tell me what you know?”

“Well, there’s the North Star. You can see it no matter where you are.” Mahiru told him and pointed to the sky. He squinted into the vast collections of stars and he struggled to see which one she pointed to. Kuro didn’t expect her to move closer to him until her arm brushed against his. She sat close to him so their eye line would be the same and she placed her finger beneath the star. “See it yet?”

“I think so,” He said. Kuro was certain that they were so close that their lips would brush together if he turned to face her. She learned away from him and he didn’t know if he felt disappointed or relieved. Mahiru didn’t seem to notice as she continued to name the constellations in the sky. She wore a smile that would light the night better than the lighthouse they sat on.


End file.
